[siatohi80]

Hi,
I have recently been admitted to the graduate school at UConn and will receive 9500$ per year as graduate assistantship. I was wondering whether I can manage to get by only on that amount. Besides, I'm coming from Iran and can't bring much cash with me, maybe 5000 at most.
As far as I know, CT is an expensive state, isn't it?
Thank you in advance.

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by siatohi80

Hi,
I have recently been admitted to the graduate school at UConn and will receive 9500$ per year as graduate assistantship. I was wondering whether I can manage to get by only on that amount. Besides, I'm coming from Iran and can't bring much cash with me, maybe 5000 at most.
As far as I know, CT is an expensive state, isn't it?
Thank you in advance.

CT is considered a high cost state- but the University of Connecticut in Storrs is located in the eastern part of the state which is relatively affordable. It all depends on housing. There is housing at the Campus for graduate students that will be cheaper then Private apartments nearby. I would contact the Graduate school and inquire.

Most rents for 1 bedroom or a studio for a single person will run in the private sector $600 a month and up.

[KH02]

if you assume its going to cost you 600 (private) a month then that will be about 7200 dollars a year. Which will leave you with 2 grand for groceries/gas for car/ utilities/and any extras for an entire year.
Could you get another PT job while out their?

[siatohi80]

Hi,
Thank you so much for your replies. Although my adviser told me that she will investigate the possible ways of finding another job such as a teaching job in another department, I should suppose it is all I'm gonna receive as an International student with F-1 visa, so far. About a car, I guess off-campus housing will make a need for one; am I right? What's more, I believe on-campus housing will cost more than off-campus.
So, as a conclusion, suppose I do receive exactly that amount, will you suggest me to find a grad school in cheaper place? In fact I already have another admission from Texas Tech U at Lubbock, however, I feel pity forgetting about the beautiful CT and heading for Lubbock!
Please tell me your ideas.
Many thanks,
Siavash

[reason180]

Originally Posted by siatohi80

Hi,
Thank you so much for your replies. Although my adviser told me that she will investigate the possible ways of finding another job such as a teaching job in another department, I should suppose it is all I'm gonna receive as an International student with F-1 visa, so far. About a car, I guess off-campus housing will make a need for one; am I right? What's more, I believe on-campus housing will cost more than off-campus.
So, as a conclusion, suppose I do receive exactly that amount, will you suggest me to find a grad school in cheaper place? In fact I already have another admission from Texas Tech U at Lubbock, however, I feel pity forgetting about the beautiful CT and heading for Lubbock!
Please tell me your ideas.
Many thanks,
Siavash

I found this on the web:

All of these apartment complexes are on the busline so you could either walk or take the bus to campus.

Colonial Townhouse Apartments
860-423-3328

Clubhouse Apartments
860-429-5584, www.fpiproperties.com (broken link)

Celeron Square Apartments
860-429-3627, Flagship - Properties, Consulting & Management Services

Carriage House Apartments
860-429-3218,

Holinko Estates Apartments
860-487-0693

Hunting Lodge Apartments
860-429-5351, www.uconnapartments.com (newenglandventures@yahoo.com)

Knollwood Apartments
860-429-5584, www.fpiproperties.com (broken link)

Oakwood Apartments
860-429-5584, www.fpiproperties.com (broken link)


Just a note-some of the links do not work-also be aware that no commercial real estate links are allowed.
Moderator

[rahdirsv]

Originally Posted by siatohi80

Hi,
Thank you so much for your replies. Although my adviser told me that she will investigate the possible ways of finding another job such as a teaching job in another department, I should suppose it is all I'm gonna receive as an International student with F-1 visa, so far. About a car, I guess off-campus housing will make a need for one; am I right? What's more, I believe on-campus housing will cost more than off-campus.
So, as a conclusion, suppose I do receive exactly that amount, will you suggest me to find a grad school in cheaper place? In fact I already have another admission from Texas Tech U at Lubbock, however, I feel pity forgetting about the beautiful CT and heading for Lubbock!
Please tell me your ideas.
Many thanks,
Siavash

Having attended graduate school in Texas and having been an international student on an F-1 visa, I would advise you to consider other factors as well:

Do you get a full tuition waiver with your assistantship in UConn? I dont know about here but when I was doing my Masters in Texas in 2003, I had to pay 1/3rd of non-resident tuition for my credit hours even though I had an assistantship and received a stipend. Its good to check on that if you havent already. Because tuition and fees are fully waived when you are given an assistantship in most states other than Texas.

Is there a sizeable community from your country where you are going? If this is your first time here, it helps a lot with orientation to the new place and culture and in the long run, with finding roommates and sharing apt rent in the first few semesters while you settle in. I was never really keen on sharing my apt but sometimes when money is tight, it is a big blessing - trust me.

I hope this helps.

[rahdirsv]

Originally Posted by siatohi80

Hi,
Thank you so much for your replies. Although my adviser told me that she will investigate the possible ways of finding another job such as a teaching job in another department, I should suppose it is all I'm gonna receive as an International student with F-1 visa, so far. About a car, I guess off-campus housing will make a need for one; am I right? What's more, I believe on-campus housing will cost more than off-campus.
So, as a conclusion, suppose I do receive exactly that amount, will you suggest me to find a grad school in cheaper place? In fact I already have another admission from Texas Tech U at Lubbock, however, I feel pity forgetting about the beautiful CT and heading for Lubbock!
Please tell me your ideas.
Many thanks,
Siavash

A couple of more things that came to my mind:

- On an F-1 visa, immigration laws do not allow you to work more than 20 hours a week on your full-time graduate program (except during the Summer semester when you can take up a full-time internship). So that pretty much limits you to one assistantship or one part-time job. What I am telling you is a 5-year old rule - PLEASE check this up with the International office of your university

- On-campus housing may or may not cost more than off-campus housing. I have never been to UConn but depending on how your university campus is spread out, you might be able to find affordable off campus housing JUST AT THE EDGE of campus and you might never need a car. I lived for 3 years as a student in Texas without a car - but that again depends on the friends you make and the people you know.

[siatohi80]

Thank you for the comments.
Yes, in both cases the complete tuition and fees are waived. The only concern I feel is that I might have to live on an extreme budget. I believe it will make me unable to study and work as efficient as possible. As far as I know about Lubbock, a bike as mean of transportation in most cases will suffice, but not in a windstorms!
All in all, with a stipend in summer it will be possible.

[adamz]

Siavash-
Check this site
University of Connecticut Off Campus Housing Service
for listings that include shared housing (free registrations will be required). It's typically possible to share a house or apartment and pay less than what you would pay to live alone. As others have indicated, if you live on Storrs road (rt. 195) there is a bus line. There is also a campus shuttle that goes to some of the nearby apartments.
Adam

[uctalum01]

I went to UConn as an undergrad. I graduated in 2001, and my guess is it works the same, but there is an apartment shuttle that makes stops at some of the closer apartment complexes to campus (like celeron, for example). I think they've expanded the route since I graduated, but I'm not sure what complexes are included. I'm sure if you go to UConn's site University of Connecticut, you can find the route. Probably in the "students" section. It's hard to believe how much rents have gone up (at least in the complex I lived in, Barbara Manor/Cedar Ridge. I was living there when the name changed from BM to CR). When I moved there in the summer of 99 as a sublet I was splitting a rent of $605/mo. I believe within a couple of years after I moved out in 2001 they were up to near $900 - 1000/mo, and I'm pretty sure that was before they did renovations to the apartments. You might find that living in the grad dorms at the heart of campus will be less expensive than living off campus. Even if the rent would be a bit cheaper you still have to pay for electricity and phone service, and if you so choose, cable and internet service. On campus I think you'd only have to pay for phone (and even then it might only be long distance as opposed to having to pay for local service in an apt) and possibly cable. At the time I lived on campus we had to order service from the local cable company (Charter), but I think there's now a campus cable service, but I'm not sure how that works. If you get a roommate it might be less expensive to live off campus, but I haven't really done the numbers to know for sure. I don't know what the cost of living is up there anymore since I'm 7yrs out. Sorry I can't be more help.